User blog:Dragon-Siren 3003/School of Supernatural, Episode 3: Dead Man Walking
(We open right where we left off. MOON seems shaky. DARKSTALKER tries to hug her. She shies away. DARKSTALKER looks slightly hurt.) DS: Moonlet, it’s me. MOON: You’ve been dead for- DS: Well, now I’m not! Now we can go reenact your favorite plays over and over, just like we used to. Yay! I’m back! Everyone’s happy! (MOON glances at him warily.) MOON: You only speak that way when you’re trying to distract me. DS: When have I ever done that? MOON (drily): Ahem, the chili powder incident? DS: If you had heard what he called you- MOON: Don’t you think that was a bit… excessive? DS: Yeah. (smirks) But seriously, his reaction was amazing. MOON: I hate to admit it, but it was. (giggles nervously) DS: There’s my Moon! (He reaches over and ruffles MOON’s hair. She leans away, still giggling.) DS: I still need to know where the dorms are. MOON: You’re not a stu- DS: As a matter of fact, I am. Signed up last week as soon as I heard. MOON: … How long have you been back? DS: Ah, about two weeks. MOON: Why didn’t you tell me sooner? DS: Because apparently you and Aunt Secret moved. By the way, I have a question. How well do you know this “Turtle” guy? I’m rooming with him. MOON: Oh, Turtle? He’s okay. Into Star Wars and that sort of thing. DS: Sounds like someone I’d be able to at least tolerate. Now, lead the way! (They begin walking.) DS (quietly): How’s Whiteout? I couldn’t find her. MOON: She’s been living on her own for a while. She’s actually in my-our dorm. DS: Good. She’s okay. Well, as okay as she can be. (We cut to DARKSTALKER and MOON reaching the Jade Common Room. DARKSTALKER lets out a surprised whistle.) DS: These are some nice couches. (He sits down on one of them, bouncing up and down on it like a little kid. CRYSTAL walks into the room) CRYSTAL: And who’s this? MOON (whispering): … My cousin. CRYSTAL: Wait… (squints) your mother didn’t have another sister, did she? Is this Whiteout’s…? MOON (looking at the ground): Yes, ma’am. (CRYSTAL shoots a look at DARKSTALKER, then leans down. Cupping MOON’s chin in her hand, she lifts MOON’s chin.) CRYSTAL: Moon. Look at me. I just need to know if what Carnelian said about the dead not staying that way was true. MOON: … Apparently so. (CRYSTAL takes her hand away and pats MOON on the shoulder.) CRYSTAL: Thank you. Now, (her gaze hardens as she glances toward DARKSTALKER) that’s two dead ones living with us. Tell me, just who are you? (DARKSTALKER looks up at CRYSTAL. He raises an eyebrow at her.) DS: Darkstalker Aldamara. And you, m’lady? CRYSTAL: Sergeant Crystal Jadira, who has been promoted to commander of this battalion. None of that “my lady” rubbish. I want no association with royalty. DS: Really. In my opinion, you could easily pass for a princess, perhaps a queen. CRYSTAL: Save the compliments for someone who can stand to be in the same room with you. Any other sightings, Moonwatcher? MOON: No, ma’am. CRYSTAL: Lovely. Now stop calling me ma’am. Frankly, it’s irritating. (She leaves the room. DARKSTALKER turns to MOON.) DS: Is she always like this? MOON: Normally she’s slightly less brutally honest. DS: Good. So it’s not targeting me. MOON: Oh no, it targets everyone. (DARKSTALKER gets up from the couch.) DS: Now that that fun introduction is over with, where’s the food? MOON: Kinkajou has a stash of candy. (They make their way to Room 31113. WHITEOUT is there, looking slightly shaken and munching on a Kit-Kat. She snaps her head up to see DARKSTALKER, who shrugs and gives a slightly nervous smile.) WHITEOUT: … Brother? (Before DARKSTALKER can react, WHITEOUT nearly mows him down with the force of her hug.) DS: Hey! I mean, I’m glad for the warm welcome, but- (WHITEOUT accidentally elbows him in the ribs.) DS: Gah! Sorry, sensitive spot. Okay, okay, we’re done. (He attempts to extract himself from WHITEOUT’S grip. It doesn’t work. WHITEOUT simply buries her face in his shoulder.) DS: Wow. You’ve never put up with long hugs before. I haven’t been gone that long. WHITEOUT: Eight seasons. You were in the rubble for twenty four moons. DS: … Two years? (WHITEOUT begins sniffling a bit.) DS: Don’t worry. It didn’t really hurt. It just felt like- (WHITEOUT looks up at him. Tears are streaming down her face.) DS: -taking a nap. WHITEOUT: You woke up. Not eternity. DS: Of course it wasn’t eternity! Do you really think I’d settle for that, leaving my best girls behind? MOON: I can think of a few instances… (DARKSTALKER shoots her an unamused glance.) DS: You and I both know that she wouldn’t have worked out. The mark turned out to be makeup anyway. WHITEOUT: Makeup tells lies, but also hides. (CRYSTAL appears, with the rest in tow.) CRYSTAL: I don’t much care for it either. (addressing her “troops”) Thing Three has joined the other two. WINTER: ANOTHER Night Tribal? What would my parents think? QIBLI: Something equally derogatory. DS (mildly defensive): If you must know, I’m actually half-Ice. (WINTER’s eyes widen.) WINTER: … Prince Arctic’s son? DS: Nice work, Detective. WINTER: So you’re my… DS: Cousin. Surprise! We’re all one big, dysfunctional family! QIBLI: I have experience with those. (TURTLE nods sympathetically. WHITEOUT eyes WINTER, than attempts to hug him. WINTER reacts as well as you’d expect.) WINTER: Ugh! Get off me, you freak of nature! You- (DARKSTALKER pulls WINTER away. He’s extremely irritated, to put it mildly. His eyes are a bit darker, and he looks fit to kill.) WINTER (gibbering): Gah! Let go, please! I’m a prince, and a warrior. I-I can slice off your face! I’ll do it! (WINTER futilely attempts to kick DARKSTALKER’s leg. DARKSTALKER is, once again, not amused.) DS (his voice deeper, more sinister): Such a terrifying little soldier. You’d best watch your step. I don’t take kindly to Ice Tribals who don’t know what’s good for them, specifically those who decide it will be fun to taunt an innocent dragoness. Is. That. Clear? (WINTER looks ill. DARKSTALKER drops him on the floor as MOON turns around from looking at the bookshelf. DARKSTALKER arranges his face to look innocent.) MOON(Raising her voice): Darkstalker Snowflake Aldamara. Explain this. (gestures at WINTER) (DARKSTALKER stares at her blankly.) MOON: Never mind. I think I know. (CRYSTAL cuts in. She glances at WINTER, who has since passed out.) CRYSTAL: Get him to the office. (TURTLE and WHITEOUT manage to lift him, and the rest leave, obviously hoping to avoid DARKSTALKER. QIBLI remains behind, as does SORA, who waits around a corner, listening.) QIBLI: Crystal, may I- CRYSTAL: No, you may not stay. QIBLI: But- CRYSTAL: This is a conversation Darkstalker and I need to have. Alone. QIBLI: But- What if he gets all evil again? Who’s going to protect you? CRYSTAL: Believe me when I say I’m perfectly capable of that. Now go. (QIBLI leaves, looking a mix of upset and irritated. CRYSTAL turns back around to glare at DARKSTALKER.) CRYSTAL: I’m not sure what privileges you think you’re entitled to, but threatening Ice Tribals-your family, no less- is not one of them. DS (calmly): If you knew my experience with Ice Tribals, you would understand why I did that. CRYSTAL (icily): I might understand more than you realize. (DARKSTALKER tilts his head to one side) DS: Oh? How so? CRYSTAL: That is my business, and you shouldn’t be meddling in it. DS: And if you intend me not to meddle in yours, you shouldn’t meddle in mine. CRYSTAL: I don’t intend to. But my point stands that if you even insinuate the slightest harm on my troops, there is nothing that will stop me from meddling or tearing you apart. Understood? DS: Oh, so now we’re in- CRYSTAL (shouting): UNDERSTOOD? (DARKSTALKER mock-salutes.) DS: Yes, sir. (CRYSTAL nods her head, then leaves. After a while, DARKSTALKER gets the feeling someone’s watching him.) DS: Whoever you are, come on in. I won’t bite. (SORA enters, looking around nervously.) SORA (quietly): Are… you sure about that? DS (grinning): I’m fairly certain. Now, which one of Moon’s friends are you? SORA: I’m… Sora. DS: Sora. It means “sky” in Japanese. I’d have much preferred that name over mine. All it does is build up suspicion. SORA (nervous): I- I see… (suddenly blurting) Is it true you came back from the dead? DS: (sighs) Yes. How long does it take for news to spread around here? (leans forward) Who told you? (SORA looks terrified, taking a step back) SORA: Oh! Um- nobody! I just, kind of… I was… I… DS: You what? SORA: I was just wondering… do you-do you know anyone else who might come back? DS: No. Why? SORA: N-no reason. J-just curious is all. DS: Let me guess. You lost someone, and you’re wondering if they’ll come back. (SORA wraps her arms around herself.) DS: I’m sorry, but I don’t have a mental link or anything. Heck, I haven’t even been to the afterlife. SORA: Oh… why not? (DARKSTALKER shrugs.) SORA: So… you can’t tell me anything? DS: No. (He shakes his head and gives her a sad smile.) Sora (mumbling): It’s just… I never… DS: Yeah. It hurts. But don’t worry. They’re probably not too worried about you. (SORA looks like she’s about to cry and runs from the room. Before she makes it out, DARKSTALKER stops her.) DS: Wait. I-I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I meant-they’re probably doing fine. Look, I’ve lost someone too. I know. It’s horrible. But I try to pretend that everything’s fine, just like you do. SORA: Stay out of my head! (SORA attempts to leave once again.) DS (calling after her): My point being, I understand just what you’re going through. SORA: … I have something to do. DS: I see just where this is going. You could wait… it would make it less… obvious. SORA: No, you don’t. You know nothing, Darkstalker Aldamara. DS: Oh, really? I know much more than you think I do… Sora Adams. (SORA continues out of the room. She walks down the hall, then stops and lingers at Room 316. CRYSTAL’s room. Sneaking in, she slips her hand under CRYSTAL’s pillow and pulls out something made of metal. CRYSTAL walks in.) CRYSTAL: Excuse me, that would be mine. I have a permit, you do not. Hand it over, Sora. (SORA hands to object to CRYSTAL. It turns out to be a miniature crossbow.) CRYSTAL (muttering): I really need to get back to training with this… (her tone changes) Sora. What were you doing with this? SORA: Oh! I was, um, I just wanted to see whatever it was you put under there on the first day. CRYSTAL: It’s a crossbow, Sora. You were allied with us. You know what this is, (narrows eyes) and what it can do. SORA: Um. Well, yes. I was curious about it, that’s all. CRYSTAL (unconvinced): Just curious? You’ve probably handled this exact model. There’s not much to be curious about, as far as this one goes. SORA (evasive): Right. Well, I’m just going to go… (In a flash, CRYSTAL blocks the door.) SORA: Please. I-I’ve dealt with this too many times today. CRYSTAL: Sora, you’re not telling me something. SORA: There’s nothing to tell! Let me out! CRYSTAL: The protesting convinces me otherwise. (SORA attempts to shove her way past CRYSTAL, which, since CRYSTAL is so thin, would seem easy, but it’s not. CRYSTAL pushes SORA back into the room and locks the door.) CRYSTAL: Sora, unless you tell me just what is going on… SORA: I… I can’t. CRYSTAL: Yes, you can. SORA: No, I… I really can’t. Just… stay out of it? Please? I don’t want you to get hurt. CRYSTAL: And I don’t want you to get hurt. SORA: I won’t. I’ll be done and gone before anyone can do anything. CRYSTAL: Believe it or not, the law is faster than you may think. SORA: And you know this how? CRYSTAL: I’ve had a few encounters with it myself. And they will not hesitate to punish you for being found with that, even if you didn’t do anything. SORA: P-please. Just let me go. CRYSTAL: I’m afraid I can’t do that. I don’t think you’re just taking it out for target practice. (SORA’s eyes darken as she raises the bow.) SORA: You’re right. I’m not. (CRYSTAL immediately lifts her arms to shield her neck and chest.) CRYSTAL: Sora, you don’t need to-you don’t have to- SORA: If you knew what they- what she’d done to my family- CRYSTAL: Who are you talking about? SORA: The Ice girl. That’s who killed her. In the battle by the falls. CRYSTAL: Sora, I was in that same battle. I saw some of my best soldiers die in front of me. SORA: You just lost your soldiers. I lost a sister. CRYSTAL (shakily): So did I. (regains a firm tone) But I’m not going out and slaughtering Ice Tribals because of that. It was a war, and everyone had to set their wants and needs aside for an utterly pointless cause. We’re at peace now. Everyone’s seen someone they know die. Everyone’s trying to cope. Is killing Icicle really going to solve that? (SORA simply shoots her a glare. She pulls the bowstring, and lets go. As CRYSTAL dodges the arrow, which grazes her leg, SORA darts past her. We cut to MOON running into CRYSTAL’s room, looking terrified. QIBLI follows her.) MOON: Crystal? Please answer me! (We see CRYSTAL behind the door, bandaging her leg.) CRYSTAL: Moon, I’m fine. MOON: But-I saw- CRYSTAL: I know. QIBLI: Where is she? Does she have your bow? CRYSTAL: Yes, she does. But she doesn’t have any ammunition. The only arrow I had loaded was this one. (She holds up the arrow that grazed her leg.) QIBLI: Wait. Then where’s the rest of them? (CRYSTAL taps her back pocket.) CRYSTAL: I always keep them on me. I figured that if someone tried to steal them, they’d only have one shot before they’d have to come running back. They only sell these to people with permits, and I highly doubt she has one. MOON: So she’s not going to- CRYSTAL: No. At least, not at the moment. But we had best keep an eye out. We have more than just her to worry about. (sighs) And that cousin of yours is just making things more complicated. DS (poking his head in the door): What type of complications? I’m good at causing many types. CRYSTAL: This is no time for joking, Private. DS: Private? CRYSTAL: You’re a new recruit, and I daresay you’ll be staying in that range for a while. Unless you have useful information… DS: As a matter of fact, I do. (He gestures to the teardrop marks near his eyes.) CRYSTAL: (sighs) Fine. I’m not generally a fan of probing around one’s brain, but if we must- DS: Oh, not Sora’s mind. Rather, Icicle’s. CRYSTAL: Why would we inspect Icicle’s brain? DS: I’m been picking up some… interesting signals. It seems she’s conspiring with… a spirit. CRYSTAL: And just who is this spirit? DS: I believe her name is Queen Scarlet. (We cut to SORA. She’s running, but she doesn’t know where. She notices something following her, and attempts to run away from it. We hear her scream as we cut to the next scene. ICICLE is asleep, albeit fitfully. We see a glimpse inside her dream. A fiery spirit with a shawl over one side of her face gazes at her.) SCARLET: There you are. I thought you’d never fall asleep. ICICLE: Please go away. I want to actually get some sleep tonight. SCARLET: I’m afraid I can’t do that. You had best find the talisman. The clock is ticking, darling. It won’t be long before I decide that it would be thrilling to watch your brother writhing in front of me. (ICICLE wakes up, panting. WHITEOUT sits on the bunk underneath her, tilting her head.) WHITEOUT: There’s red in your mind. Are you alright? ICICLE: Oh, it’s nothing. Absolutely nothing. Category:Blog posts